Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a day-long visit to the historic city of Ayodhya on Saturday during which he inaugurated the city's airport and flag off new trains.
Modi, who arrived on Saturday morning, was received by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and state chief Yogi Adityanath.
After this, he held a massive roadshow, which was attended by a huge crowd, and performances by cultural troupes along his route were also held.
The city was decked up in flowers, and posters welcoming the PM were put up in numerous locations.
After the roadshow, Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and then flagged off a new category of superfast passenger trains in the country — the Amrit Bharat Express and six Vande Bharat trains.
The visit comes ahead of the much-awaited consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on 22 January. A 51-inch-tall idol of Lord Ram personifying his five-year-old self will be installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the grand temple.
Ayodhya Airport
The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham has been developed at a cost of over INR 14.5 billion in the 6,500 square meters area, with a capacity of handling one million passengers annually. Colorful murals depicting different stages of the Ramayana and Lord Ram's life adorn several sections of the airport.
Ayodhya is a sacred city for Hindus as they consider it as the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram.
The construction of the Ram temple has been a major campaign issue for the BJP, and the consecration is likely to benefit the Saffron Party in the 2024 parliamentary polls, scheduled to be held in March-April 2024.